amaotonovel Chapter 1490 Showdown
Chapter 1490 Showdown
Chapter 1490 Showdown
On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival had not yet completely dissipated, but the waiting hall of Beijing Capital International Airport was already bustling with people. Many people rushing back to their workplaces dragged large bags of luggage, their faces still showing the fatigue of the New Year, but their eyes already held the anticipation of the new year.
Qin Hao, Zhao Yajing, Shi Xiaona, and Xie Laozhuan were waiting for their flight in a corner of the departure lounge.
Zhao Yajing's gaze swept over Xie Lao as he turned around, and she suddenly asked suspiciously, "Xie Lao, why didn't Jia Xiaoying come with you? Did you ditch her again?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze focused on Old Xie turning around. Old Xie vehemently protested his innocence: "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm that kind of person! Xiaoying and I are doing great!"
"You know perfectly well whether it's true or not," Zhao Yajing said, pursing her lips.
"Stop, stop!" Old Xie quickly waved his hand, "That's all in the past. I'm serious with Xiaoying now!"
Qin Hao chuckled and leaned over to tease, "Old Xie, to be honest, is it that Xiao Ying isn't going with you?"
Shi Xiaona also looked at him with great interest, waiting to hear what he would say next.
Old Xie looked at this one, then at that one, and rolled his eyes dramatically: "Fine, Old Qin, I've figured it out. You two, no, you three are completely in cahoots now. You're ganging up on me, aren't you?"
Shi Xiaona blushed and said angrily, "What do they say about you? What do you have to do with me? Why did you bring me along?"
"Exactly!" Old Xie seized the opportunity to shift the focus: "Xiao Na is different from you; she's a civilized person."
Zhao Yajing scoffed, "Come on, stop trying to sow discord. Hurry up and tell us what's going on with Jia Xiaoying?"
Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Old Xie sighed, put away his joking expression, and became serious: "This time it's not that I don't want her to come, it's that she herself doesn't want to go to Guangzhou with me."
"Is that so?" Qin Hao raised an eyebrow. "She dumped you?"
"Go to hell!" Old Xie said irritably. He paused and organized his thoughts: "Isn't it because Sha Mao was planning to develop the Taishan Township project with Jia Shifa? Jia Shifa asked Jia Xiaoying to stay and help him out, saying that he was short-handed at home and wouldn't be going to Guangzhou with me this year."
Upon hearing this, all three of them were stunned.
Zhao Yajing looked surprised: "Wait, you mean, Sha Mao took over the project we didn't do?"
“Yes.” Old Xie nodded. “Sha Mao hadn’t found a suitable project yet. When we were drinking the other day, I remembered Jia Shifa and made an appointment with them. They hit it off so well that they finalized the deal in no time.”
He took a sip of tea and continued, "I heard the contracts have all been signed, on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Jia Shifa is in charge of handling things with the township government and the village, while Sha Mao is in charge of finding funding and construction. So, Jia Xiaoying has been left behind to help her father."
Qin Hao frowned, his expression turning serious: "Where did Da Mao get so much money?"
This is a crucial question. Qin Hao had looked into the Taishan Township project; it was quite large. The resettlement of villagers alone would cost at least several million yuan, and the subsequent development funds would be an even larger sum. The little money Yang Shumao had saved from him wasn't even enough to fill a gap in his stomach.
Old Xie shrugged: "Da Mao said this project is for the benefit of the village, and the bank can approve a loan for it. He also said he knows a few Hong Kong businessmen who can provide some financial support. I didn't ask how much, but he sounded quite confident."
Upon hearing this, Shi Xiaona frowned, her tone filled with worry: "Isn't this just trying to get something for nothing? Using bank money and other people's money to do projects, what if something goes wrong at any stage and the cash flow breaks down? Won't he lose everything?"
Having studied business administration, she was acutely aware of the risks of such high-leverage operations. If the market fluctuated, the project progressed poorly, or sales fell short of expectations, Yang Shumao could find herself in dire straits.
However, Zhao Yajing smiled approvingly: "I really didn't expect that this silly Mao would actually have such courage."
Qin Hao thought to himself that the Hong Kong boss Xie Lao mentioned was most likely the Hong Kong investor that Yang Shumao met through the "Jinxiu Garden" project.
Yang Shumo seized this opportunity. He worked at Jinxiu Garden for three years, making contact with a large number of Hong Kong clients, building connections, and demonstrating his abilities. Now that he wants to go solo, it's only natural that these people are willing to invest in him.
In this respect, Old Xie is far inferior. Old Xie is righteous and down-to-earth, but he lacks the vision and ability to seize opportunities.
"But you have to admit, this Hong Kong boss is strange." Old Xie clicked his tongue, looking puzzled. "If he has the money, why doesn't he do it himself? Why does he hand it over to idiot Mao to manage? Isn't he afraid of being ripped off?"
Zhao Yajing rolled her eyes: "You don't understand, do you? There are regulations that commercial real estate is not open to foreign companies now, including Hong Kong and Taiwanese companies. If a Hong Kong boss wants to do real estate in mainland China, he can only find mainland partners."
"Is that so?" Old Xie scratched his head. "I thought money was all that mattered."
“I always tell you to watch the news properly, but all you do is watch TV all day,” Zhao Yajing complained. “If you were half as studious as Sha Mao and learned more about policies and regulations, we could confidently entrust the Guangzhou and Shenzhen markets to you.”
Faced with Zhao Yajing's complaints, Xie Laozhuan didn't care at all. Instead, he said with a grin, "If I were like Sha Mao, wouldn't I have gone solo too? I just don't have that ambition, and I don't want to bother with that. Working with Lao Qin, I have meat to eat and wine to drink, it's pretty good."
Qin Hao was speechless, but he had to admit that what Xie Lao said was true. Old Xie wasn't very quick-witted and didn't have much ambition, but there was one thing he was absolutely certain of—loyalty. He knew the limits of his abilities, knew what he wanted, and never coveted things he couldn't have.
You can trust someone like that.
Just then, the boarding announcement came over the loudspeaker. The four of them picked up their carry-on luggage and lined up to walk toward the boarding gate.
……
The plane landed at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. Qin Hao and his group of four stepped out of the terminal, and the warm southern breeze greeted them, a stark contrast to the cold winter in Beijing.
As planned, Zhao Yajing and Mr. Xie will remain in Guangzhou to handle matters related to the stores in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Qin Hao and Shi Xiaona will continue their journey to Shenzhen to handle matters concerning the commencement of the second phase of the Jinxiu Garden project.
After a short rest in Guangzhou, Qin Hao and Shi Xiaona boarded a train bound for Shenzhen.
A three-hour train journey isn't too long, but for the couple deeply in love, it was a precious time alone. They sat by the window, watching the southern scenery rush by outside, and talked about their future plans.
"I've already contacted several design companies for the breeding base, and they'll release their plans in a few days," Shi Xiaona said.
"Yes, the design must be done well, especially in terms of environmental protection and epidemic prevention. We can't be careless," Qin Hao instructed.
"I know, I've already emphasized that to them."
"There's also the matter of personnel recruitment. Management and technical personnel should be recruited separately. Experienced managers can be found, while technical personnel should ideally be recruited from agricultural colleges, as they possess professional knowledge."
"Okay, I've got it."
The train arrived in Shenzhen at 3 p.m. The two exited the train station and took a taxi directly to the Jinxiu Garden project office.
The project office was located in a building in Phase I of Jinxiu Garden, and the conditions were much better than before. Qin Hao and Shi Xiaona settled in, and for the next few days, they were busy with their own things during the day, but gathered together in the evenings to discuss work and enjoy some rare time together.
Four days later, Shi Xiaona returned to Hong Kong in the evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Shi were delighted by Shi Xiaona's return. Mrs. Shi held her daughter's hand, looking her up and down: "You've lost weight. Are you having trouble adjusting to the food in Beijing?"
"I'm doing just fine without my mom." Shi Xiaona smiled and twirled around. "Look how energetic I am."
Shi Fangren sat on the sofa, looking at his daughter with loving eyes: "This time when you come back, ask your mother to cook you some good food to nourish you."
“Okay.” Shi Xiaona took out the gifts she had brought for her family from her suitcase—Pu’er tea for her father, a silk scarf for her mother, and a belt for her second brother, Shi Xiaojun.
Shi Xiaojun took the belt, his face expressionless, and simply said "thank you" before casually putting it aside.
The family sat down together for dinner. After dinner, Mrs. Shi went to the kitchen to prepare fruit, while Shi Xiaona accompanied her father and brother to drink tea in the living room.
After a few casual words, Shi Xiaona put down her teacup, took a deep breath, and dropped a bombshell: "Dad, I plan to resign from my position as a board member of Burger King and return to Beijing to develop my career."
"pat-"
The lid of Shi Fangren's teacup fell onto the coffee table with a crisp sound. He didn't react for a moment, remaining stunned for several seconds before picking up the teacup and taking a sip of hot tea, trying to suppress his shock.
"Xiao Na, how could you have such a thought?" Shi Fangren tried to keep his voice calm.
Meanwhile, Shi Xiaojun, sitting on the other side, was overjoyed. He had been racking his brains over how to outmaneuver his increasingly outstanding younger sister and compete for the Shi family's vast assets, but now his rival had actually given up? This was simply divine news!
"I am indeed the chosen one!" Shi Xiaojun shouted in his heart, almost unable to control his expression on his face, and quickly lowered his head to pretend to drink tea to cover it up.
Just as Shi Xiaojun was overjoyed, Shi Xiaona said calmly, "Dad, it's my own decision. Qin Hao is planning to build a chicken supply base in Langfang and also wants to cultivate the inland market. I'm going to invest and work with him."
Upon hearing this, Shi Fangren gave his wife, who had just come out of the kitchen, a wry smile: "See? This is what they call a son who grows up and no longer listens to his mother. Our daughter, whom we've carefully raised for so many years, was tricked away by that brat with just a few words."
Shi Xiaona felt a little ashamed and lowered her head: "Dad..."
Shi Fangren waved his hand, his tone softening: "Xiao Na, Dad doesn't mean to stop you. It's a good thing for young people to have their own ideas and want to go out and explore. But could you tell Dad about the specifics? Dad can also help you analyze whether it's worth investing so much money?"
Shi Xiaona looked up and saw her father's concerned eyes, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.
She no longer hid anything and explained Qin Hao's plan in detail—to re-register the fast food brand in mainland China, establish its own supply chain system, circumvent restrictions on foreign investment, and fully develop the mainland market.
"That guy surnamed Qin is so unscrupulous!" Shi Xiaojun immediately exploded upon hearing this, slamming his fist on the table and standing up. "Is he trying to pull a fast one on us? He founded Burger King in Hong Kong, and now that it's successful, he wants to start from scratch. Isn't that just kicking away the ladder after crossing the river?"
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke: "If this news gets out, Burger King's stock price will definitely suffer a severe blow! Who will suffer then? We shareholders! Dad, this can't just be left like this!"
Shi Fangren glared at his second son and said sternly, "What kind of behavior is this, all jumpy and startled! Sit down!"
Shi Xiaojun sat down sullenly after being glared at by his father, but his face was still indignant.
Shi Fangren then turned to his daughter, speaking calmly: "Right now, only we know this news. As long as you don't spread it, who will know?"
He paused, then continued, "Besides, the fact that he told your sister shows he didn't intend to hide it from us. If he really wanted to betray us, he could have done it secretly; why tell Xiaona?"
That makes sense. Shi Xiaona nodded repeatedly: "Dad, Qin Hao means that Hong Kong is still too small, and Burger King's development has reached a bottleneck. But if the mainland business is also included, the initial financing scale will be too small, which is not conducive to future development. So he plans to rebuild a fast food brand in the mainland."
Shi Fangren picked up his teacup and sipped slowly, his mind racing. As a seasoned businessman, he naturally understood Qin Hao's intentions. The Hong Kong market was indeed limited, while the mainland market had enormous potential, but it also faced numerous policy restrictions. Re-registering a domestic brand was indeed a wise move.
The question is, how much of the profits will the Shi family get from this new company?
"How many shares does he intend for you to own?" Shi Fangren put down his teacup and asked in a serious tone.
“10%,” Shi Xiaona replied.
Shi Fangren frowned: "Isn't that a bit too little?"
“That’s quite a lot,” Shi Xiaona said earnestly. “After all, I’m a new investor. The stores in Guangzhou and Shenzhen have been operating for many years and have grown in scale. Qin Hao and Sister Ya Jing have invested more time, energy, and money than I have, so it’s only right that they get the majority.”
Shi Fangren thought for a moment and then tentatively asked, "So your project can't use the Hong Kong company's funds. Do you have enough funds on hand? Should Dad invest some?"
This is a crucial question. If the Shi family invests, they can not only increase their shareholding but also gain better control over the new company.
Shi Xiaona hesitated for a moment: "Well... I have to ask them."
Shi Fangren nodded: "Okay, then you can ask first. You must be tired from the journey. Go back to your room and rest for a while. We can talk about it tomorrow."
"Okay, Mom and Dad, Second Brother, I'll go back to my room now. You should get some rest too."
"Go."
After Shi Xiaona went upstairs to her room, only Shi Fangren and his wife and Shi Xiaojun remained in the living room.
As Shi Xiaojun watched his sister's figure disappear around the corner of the stairs, he couldn't help but say gloatingly, "Dad, you saw it, didn't you? This girl is so outgoing. Xiao Na's heart isn't with us anymore."
"Enough!" Shi Fangren scolded sternly, "Nonsense! Your sister will always bear the surname Shi, and you will always be siblings. That will never change! Remember that!"
Seeing his father's fury, Shi Xiaojun shrank back and muttered under his breath, "That's exactly right..."
"What did you say?"
"No, it's nothing." Shi Xiaojun quickly changed his tune: "Then I'll go back to my room first."
With that, he slunk upstairs.
After her son left, Mrs. Shi took her husband's arm and gently comforted him, "Alright, you're so old, why are you still so hot-tempered? Can't you say things calmly?"
Shi Fangren sighed, his face full of disappointment: "What I can't tolerate the most isn't stupidity, but arrogance. Does he think I don't know what he's thinking? Does he think that with Xiaona gone and no one competing with him, he can sit back and reap the benefits, comfortably waiting to take over the Shi Group?"
He grew angrier as he spoke: "Why doesn't he understand that when the old man built such a huge business, we had already fallen behind during the years when my eldest brother was in charge? Now that market competition is so fierce, he has no sense of crisis at all, and all he does is scheme against his own sister!"
Mrs. Shi smiled bitterly: "What can we do? It's because he has the surname Qin, not Shi. Our daughter couldn't bring him into the family either."
These words struck a chord with Shi Fangren. He shook his head helplessly: "That's why I was thinking of getting Xiaojun and Xiaona to get along well. As long as we have the bond of siblings, if we run into any problems in the future, Xiao Qin can lend us a hand. But what about him? He's always going against Xiaona and can't stand the sight of her. If we really need help, why would she help him?"
"Alright, don't be angry anymore." Mrs. Shi gently patted her husband's hand. "I'll have a good talk with Xiaojun later and ask him to get along better with his sister."
"I'm afraid that even if you tell him, he might not take it to heart," Shi Fangren shook his head.
The couple chatted for a while longer before going upstairs to rest.
……
When Shi Xiaona arrived in Shenzhen, the second phase of the "Jinxiu Garden" project was already under construction in full swing on Qin Hao's side.
The construction site was a hive of activity. Tower cranes stood tall, machines roared, and workers wearing safety helmets bustled about in the jungle of steel and concrete. The second phase of the project was larger than the first, adding gardens and sports fields in addition to residential buildings.
Qin Hao has been practically living at the construction site these past few days. He gets up at six every morning, arrives at the site at seven sharp to inspect it, and often doesn't return to his dormitory until after ten at night. After Shi Xiaona arrived, he squeezed out some time to spend with her for two days. The two enjoyed a short time alone together in Shenzhen before Shi Xiaona rushed back to Beijing.
On one hand, she had to oversee the construction of the Langfang chicken supply base, and on the other hand, she had to find stores and recruit and train staff in preparation for the opening of Burger King in Beijing. Both of them were extremely busy.
On the construction site, foreman Lao Zhang followed Qin Hao cautiously, secretly groaning in his heart. He had originally thought that this boss knew nothing about construction sites and could be easily fooled, but it turned out that the man was an expert, and not just any expert.
Qin Hao not only understands the construction process, but also the materials and techniques. He can spot problems at a glance with the specifications of the steel bars, the grade of the cement, and the proportions of the concrete. He knows every detail on the construction drawings by heart. He can immediately point out any deviation from the construction standards.
Moreover, this boss is extremely meticulous and doesn't let small things go unnoticed. For example, safety ropes for working at heights; everyone must wear a safety helmet when entering the construction site, and any violation will result in an immediate fine without hesitation.
"Mr. Qin, Old Li has already been fined several times this month." During the inspection that day, Old Zhang cautiously pleaded for his worker: "His family is in financial difficulty. He has three children to support, and his parents are over seventy years old, in poor health, and take medication year-round. Could you perhaps..."
Before Lao Zhang could finish speaking, Qin Hao interrupted him directly: "That's precisely why he must be punished so severely!"
He stopped, turned around, and looked at Old Zhang with a serious expression: "Old Zhang, you're a veteran in the construction industry, you should know the importance of safety. Working at heights without a safety rope is a matter of life and death! His family is poor, so we can't afford for anything to happen to him! What will happen to his whole family if something happens?"
Old Zhang was speechless and could only nod.
Qin Hao continued, "Tell them that from now on, anyone who doesn't wear a safety helmet or a safety rope while working at height within the construction area will be fined ten yuan the first time, fifty yuan the second time, and fired the third time! They don't care about their lives, but I don't want to bear that kind of infamy!"
His voice wasn't loud, but his tone was firm and left no room for argument. These roughnecks on the construction site—it's useless to reason with them; only fines, fines that sting them, will make them take things seriously. That's the most direct and effective method.
Old Zhang nodded with a bitter face: "Yes, President Qin, I will definitely pass it on."
Just as he turned to leave, Qin Hao called him back.
"and many more."
Old Zhang turned around, his heart tightening – was he going to raise the stakes again?
However, Qin Hao's next words stunned him.
"Write down all these fines and make a detailed list," Qin Hao said. "Later, find a reason to give them them as a bonus. But make sure they remember that they shouldn't be careless for a moment of pleasure. They have a whole family to support. Safety isn't just for me; it's for themselves and their families."
Upon hearing this, contractor Lao Zhang was first taken aback, then overjoyed: "President Qin is so kind!"
He spoke from the bottom of his heart. Having worked on construction sites for so many years, he had seen too many bosses who only cared about progress and not safety, and who would shirk responsibility when accidents happened. Bosses like Qin Hao, who were strict about safety and genuinely cared about the workers, were extremely rare.
Qin Hao waved his hand: "Go away, stop flattering me. Managing your workers well is more important than anything else."
"Hehe, yes, yes, I'll definitely keep it under control." Old Zhang grinned, turned around and walked away quickly, his steps much lighter.
The news quickly spread across the construction site, and the initial complaints and resistance turned into understanding and cooperation.
Gradually, the workers got used to Qin Hao's management style. They found that as long as safety measures were in place and construction was carried out strictly according to the blueprints and standards, they would not only avoid being punished or scolded, but would also receive preferential treatment from the boss.
Summer comes early to Shenzhen; it's already hot by mid-March. When it gets too hot, Qin Hao has the canteen prepare cooling foods like mung bean soup and watermelon, which are provided free of charge to the workers. Sunshades are also set up on the construction site, and heatstroke prevention medicines such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Water are available.
What moved the workers even more was that, in the event of a workplace injury, no matter how minor, Qin Hao would arrange for immediate medical treatment. During the treatment period, all medical expenses were paid by the company, and half of their wages were also paid as a living allowance.
Qin Hao originally intended to pay the full wage, but the contractor, Lao Zhang, warned him that this might lead to some unscrupulous individuals deliberately injuring themselves to claim sick leave. Ultimately, Qin Hao followed Lao Zhang's advice and paid only half the wage.
Even so, the workers had no complaints; instead, they kept praising Qin Hao's kindness and righteousness. They knew that on other construction sites, if you were injured on the job, you were lucky not to be fired, let alone get paid.
"President Qin is a man of exceptional character!"
"Yes, it's reassuring to work for a boss like that!"
"We also have to live up to President Qin's expectations and do our job well!"
A virtuous cycle was formed on the construction site. The workers were highly motivated, and both the progress and quality of the project were guaranteed. Qin Hao saw this and felt much more at ease.
……
Busy days always fly by. In the blink of an eye, March has passed and April has arrived, bringing true summer to Shenzhen. The temperature on the construction site is even higher, but the workers' enthusiasm remains undiminished.
That afternoon, under the blazing sun, Qin Hao, wearing a hard hat, was inspecting the construction site. He had just finished checking the concrete pouring of Building No. 3 and was preparing to go to Building No. 4 to see how the steel reinforcement was being tied.
Sweat soaked his shirt, sticking uncomfortably to his back. But he didn't care, continuing to walk around the construction site, occasionally stopping to chat with the workers and ask if they had any difficulties.
As we were walking, the contractor, Old Zhang, came running over mysteriously with a strange expression on his face.
"Mr. Qin, someone is looking for you outside," Old Zhang said.
"Who is it?" Qin Hao wiped his sweat. "Is it Miss Shi?"
"It's not Miss Shi, it's a man."
Where is he?
"They're waiting at the project site."
Qin Hao nodded: "Okay, I'll go take a look. You keep an eye on it and check the steel bars of Building 4 again. I saw yesterday that there were a few places where they weren't tied properly."
"Okay, I'll go right away."
Qin Hao took off his hard hat, dusted himself off, and walked towards the project headquarters. The project headquarters was located in a temporary prefabricated building at the entrance of the construction site; the conditions were simple, but the facilities were complete.
"Da Mao?" Qin Hao pushed open the door and was immediately stunned.
Yang Shumo chuckled and stepped forward to give Qin Hao a bear hug.